Originally Posted By: Notes Norton
a flam, paradiddle, ratamacue or any of the others.


I had to comment here because it's a funny story. Back in he Motown band years we were learning some song or other, and the drummer said "It isn't this way on the recording but let me start it like this." And he played a ratamacue. We all said "That's cool. Do that." After which he told us "That's called a ratamacue."

Months later we were on to something else and I said "Hey can you start this one like that other one? With a razzmatazz?" And from that moment on, that fill became known as a razzmatazz.

That drummer, who was as steady as a jogger's heartbeat, ended up as a midwest area blues band on call drummer for those ALMOST good enough bands when they toured the Great Lakes area. We had dubbed him "Showtime" because he would incessantly ask us "What is showtime at this place?" (never just "When do we start?"), and he hired himself out as "Johnny Showtime." Haven't seen him for around 20 years now but I'm sure he still plays in perfect time.